M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Birth of Samson, Israel’s Twelfth Judge
13 Some time later, the Israelis again practiced what the Lord considered to be evil, so the Lord handed them over into the domination of the Philistines for 40 years. 2 There was one man from Zorah, from the family of the descendants of Dan, whose name was Manoah. Since his wife was infertile, she hadn’t borne children.[a] 3 One day the angel of the Lord presented himself to the woman. “Hello!” he greeted[b] her. “Though you are infertile at this time and haven’t borne a child, you’re about to conceive and give birth to a son. 4 So be sure that you don’t drink wine or anything intoxicating, and don’t eat anything unclean 5 because—surprise!—you’re going to conceive and give birth to a son! Don’t put a razor to his head, because the young man will be a Nazirite, dedicated[c] to God from inside the womb. He will begin to deliver Israel from domination by the Philistines.”
6 Then the woman went to tell her husband. She said, “A man of God appeared[d] to me. He looked like what an angel of God would look like—very frightening.[e] I didn’t ask him where he had come from and he didn’t tell me his name. 7 He told me, ‘Surprise!—you’re going to conceive and give birth to a son!’ and as for you, ‘Be sure that you don’t drink wine or anything intoxicating, and don’t eat anything unclean,’ ‘because the young man will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from inside the womb’ until the day he dies.”
8 So Manoah prayed to the Lord, “Please, Lord, have the man of God whom you sent before[f] come again so he can instruct us what to do on behalf of the child who is to be born.”
9 God listened to Manoah’s request,[g] and the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting out in the pasture. But her husband Manoah wasn’t with her, 10 so the woman ran quickly to tell her husband, “Look! The man who came the other[h] day appeared to me!”
11 So Manoah got up quickly and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he told him, “Are you the man who spoke to my[i] wife?”
He replied, “I am.”
12 Manoah asked, “Now, when what you’ve said occurs, what is to be the young man’s way of life and work?”
13 The angel of the Lord replied to Manoah, “Just have your wife[j] be careful to carry out everything that I told her. 14 She must not consume anything extracted from grape vines, including wine or anything intoxicating, and she must not eat anything unclean, doing everything that I commissioned her to do.”
15 Manoah responded to the angel of the Lord, “Please, let us detain you while we prepare a young goat for you.”
16 The angel of the Lord answered Manoah, “If you detain me, I won’t be eating your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, you’ll be making a sacrifice to the Lord.” The angel of the Lord[k] said this[l] because Manoah didn’t know that he was the angel of the Lord.
17 Manoah asked the angel of the Lord, “What’s your name, because when what you’ve said happens, we’ll glorify[m] you?”
18 The angel of the Lord answered him, “Why are you asking this about my name? It’s ‘Wonderful.’”[n]
19 So Manoah prepared a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a boulder to the Lord, who kept on performing miracles while Manoah and his wife watched continually. 20 When the burnt offering was engulfed in flames that sprang up from the altar toward heaven, the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame that came from the altar. When Manoah and his wife observed this, they collapsed on their faces to the ground. 21 The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah or to his wife, and then Manoah knew confidently that the visitor[o] had been the angel of the Lord.
22 Then Manoah told his wife, “We’re going to die for sure, because we’ve seen God!”
23 But his wife replied to him, “If the Lord had intended to kill us, he wouldn’t have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from us,[p] he wouldn’t have shown us all these things, and he wouldn’t have permitted us to hear things[q] like this, now would he?”[r]
24 Later on, the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson.[s] The child grew strong and the Lord blessed him. 25 Then the Spirit of the Lord began to rouse him where the tribe of Dan was encamped,[t] between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Paul and Silas in Thessalonica
17 Paul and Silas[a] traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As usual, Paul entered there and on three Sabbaths discussed the Scriptures with them. 3 He explained and showed them that the Messiah[b] had to suffer and rise from the dead: “This very Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah.”[c]
4 Some of them were persuaded and began to be associated with Paul and Silas, especially a large crowd of devout Greeks and the wives of many prominent men. 5 But the Jewish leaders[d] became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square,[e] formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason’s home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people. 6 When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials and shouted, “These fellows who have turned the world upside down have come here, too, 7 and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor’s decrees by saying that there is another king—Jesus!”
8 The crowd and the city officials were upset when they heard this, 9 but after they had gotten a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go.
Paul and Silas in Berea
10 That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so. 12 Many of them believed, including a large number of prominent Greek women and men.
13 But when the Jewish leaders[f] in Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they went there to upset and incite the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed there.
Paul in Athens
15 The men who escorted Paul took him all the way to Athens and, after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left. 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply disturbed to see the city full of idols. 17 So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and other worshipers, as well as every day in the public square[g] with anyone who happened to be there. 18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some asked, “What is this blabbermouth trying to say?” while others said, “He seems to be preaching about foreign gods.” This was because Paul[h] was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Then they took him, brought him before the Areopagus,[i] and asked, “May we know what this new teaching of yours is? 20 It sounds rather strange to our ears, and we would like to know what it means.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their time doing nothing else other than listening to the latest ideas or repeating them.
22 So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus[j] and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way. 23 For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: ‘To an unknown god.’ So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn’t live in shrines made by human hands, 25 and he isn’t served by people[k] as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else. 26 From one man[l] he made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within which they live, 27 so that they might look for God,[m] somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us. 28 For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: ‘…Since we are his children, too.’[n] 29 So if we are God’s children, we shouldn’t think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill. 30 Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, 31 because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice[o] through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began joking about it, while others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 And so Paul left the meeting.[p] 34 Some men joined him and became believers. With them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus,[q] a woman named Damaris, and some others along with them.
Jeremiah is Arrested
26 In the beginning of the reign of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah, this message came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple and tell those from all the cities[a] of Judah who are coming to worship at the Lord’s Temple everything that I’ve commanded you to say to them. Don’t leave out a word! 3 Perhaps they’ll listen, and each of them will repent from his evil way. Then I’ll change my mind about the disaster I’m planning to bring on[b] them because of their evil deeds. 4 Say to them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you don’t listen to me to follow my Law which I’ve set before you, 5 and listen to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I’ve sent to you over and over[c]—but you wouldn’t listen— 6 then I’ll make this house like Shiloh and make this city into a curse to all the nations of the earth.’”’”
Jeremiah Threatened with Death
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened as Jeremiah spoke these words at the Lord’s Temple. 8 As soon as Jeremiah finished saying everything that the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people, the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him, telling him as they did: “You must certainly die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord that this house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be without an inhabitant?” Then all the people gathered around Jeremiah at the Lord’s Temple.
10 When the Judean officials[d] heard all these things, they came up from the king’s house to the Lord’s Temple and sat in the doorway of the New Gate of the Lord’s Temple.[e] 11 The priests and prophets told the officials and all the people, “A death sentence for this man, because he prophesied against this city, as you heard with your own ears!”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people: “The Lord has sent me to prophesy all the things you heard against this house and against this city. 13 Now, change your habits[f] and your deeds and obey the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he told you about. 14 Look, I’m in your hands, so do with me what you think is good and right. 15 But know for certain that if you kill me, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and its residents because the Lord really did send me to you to say all these things for you to hear.”
The Elders Remember Micah’s Similar Message
16 The officials and all the people told the priests and the prophets, “No death sentence for this man because he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Some of the elders of the land got up and told all the assembled people, 18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign[g] of Hezekiah king of Judah to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says:
“Zion will be a plowed field,
and Jerusalem a ruin.
The Temple Mount will be a wooded hill.”’[h]
19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone in Judah kill him? Didn’t he fear the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor, and so the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he had spoken to them about. We’re bringing great disaster on ourselves. 20 There was also a man named Uriah, Shemaiah’s son from Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied in the Lord’s name. He prophesied about this city and this land in words similar to those of Jeremiah. 21 King Jehoiakim, all his troops, and all the officials heard his words, and the king sought to kill him. Uriah heard about this and was afraid, so he fled and went to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt. He sent[i] Achbor’s son Elnathan, along with a contingent of men[j] into Egypt. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who killed him with a sword. Then they threw his body into a common grave.[k]”
24 Yet because Shaphan’s son Ahikam supported Jeremiah,[l] he was not handed over to the people for them to kill.
The Parable about the Tenant Farmers(A)
12 Then Jesus[a] began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went abroad. 2 At the right time, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect from them a share of the produce from the vineyard. 3 But the farmers[b] grabbed the servant,[c] beat him, and sent him back empty-handed. 4 Again, the man[d] sent another servant to them. They beat the servant[e] over the head and treated him shamefully. 5 Then the man[f] sent another, and that one they killed. So it was with many other servants.[g] Some of these they beat, and others they killed. 6 He still had one more person to send,[h] a son whom he loved. Finally, he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those farmers told one another, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 So they grabbed him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, execute the farmers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you ever read this Scripture:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.[i]
11 This was the Lord’s[j] doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?”[k]
12 They were trying to arrest him but were afraid of the crowd. Realizing that he had spoken this parable against them, they left him alone and went away.
A Question about Paying Taxes(B)
13 Then they sent some Pharisees and some Herodians[l] to him, intending to trap him in what he said. 14 They came and told him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere. You don’t favor any individual, because you pay no attention to external appearance. Instead, you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or shouldn’t we?”
15 Seeing through their hypocrisy, Jesus[m] replied to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
16 So they brought one. Then he asked them, “Whose face and name are on this?”
They told him, “Caesar’s.”
17 So Jesus told them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
A Question about the Resurrection(C)
18 Then some Sadducees, who claim there is no resurrection, came to Jesus[n] and asked him, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no child, he should marry the widow and have children for his brother.[o] 20 There were seven brothers. The first one married and died without having children. 21 Then the second married her and died without having children, and so did the third. 22 None of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died, too. 23 In the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since all seven had married her?”[p]
24 Jesus answered them, “Aren’t you mistaken because you don’t know the Scriptures or God’s power? 25 When people[q] rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven. 26 As for the dead being raised, haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?[r] 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
The Greatest Commandment(D)
28 Then one of the scribes came near and heard the Sadducees[s] arguing with one another. He saw how well Jesus[t] answered them, so he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of them all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord[u] our God is one Lord,[v] 30 and you must love the Lord[w] your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[x] 31 The second is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’[y] No other commandment is greater than these.”
32 Then the scribe told him, “Well said,[z] Teacher! You have told the truth that ‘God[aa] is one, and there is no other besides him.’[ab] 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw how wisely the man[ac] answered, he told him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one dared to ask him another question.
A Question about David’s Son(E)
35 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he asked, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah[ad] is David’s son? 36 David himself said by the Holy Spirit,
37 David himself calls him ‘Lord,’ so how can he be his son?” And the large crowd kept listening to him with delight.
Jesus Denounces the Scribes(F)
38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes! They like to walk around in long robes, to be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses[ag] and say long prayers to cover it up. They will receive greater condemnation!”
The Widow’s Offering(G)
41 As Jesus[ah] sat facing the offering box, he watched how the crowd was dropping their money into it.[ai] Many rich people were dropping in large amounts. 42 Then a destitute widow came and dropped in two small copper coins,[aj] worth about a cent.[ak] 43 He called his disciples and told them, “I tell all of you[al] with certainty, this destitute widow has dropped in more than everyone who is contributing to the offering box, 44 because all of them contributed out of their surplus, but out of her poverty she has given everything she had to live on.”
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